202 
Savans Etrangers.”” M. Fourier read a note, 
entitled “ experimental researches on the 
conducting power of thin bodies submitted 
to the action of heat, and a description of a 
new thermometer of contact.”” M. Hericart 
de Thury communicated a notice, and exhi- 
bited a section of the strata in a well made 
by boring, near Epinay—the depth from 
which the water issued was more than 200 
feet, and it rose above the surface, supplying 
about 36,000 quarts, of the temperature of 
14°, in 24 hours.—24. M. Poinsot present- 
ed a note on the formule for the exact de- 
termination of the plane of the area resulting 
from all the areas described round the centre 
of the sun by all the parts of our planetary 
system—comprising the sun itself. _M.Cu- 
vier exhibited the fossil jaw of an animal, 
bearing some analogy to an animal found in 
Van Dieman’s Land, the didelphis cynoce- 
phala of Havis, or thilacine of Temminck, 
recently discovered ‘in the quarries of Mont- 
Martre. M. Damoiseau made a verbal re- 
port on a chronological work published at 
Rome in 1827, by M. E. Olieri.—_31. Some 
letters relative to the death of Major Laing 
and Captain Clapperton, from M. Rousseau, 
consul-general of France at Tripoli, were 
read by M. Barbiedubocage. Dr. Fevenon 
intimated a design of submitting to the 
Academy the results of his researches on 
the circulation and respiration of different 
classes of animals. MM. Arago and Ma- 
thieu reported on a memoir of Major Roger, 
relative to measurements of Mont Blanc— 
Proceedings of Learned Societies. 
[Aveust, 
for which he received the thanks of the Aca- 
demy, and was solicited to extend his obser- 
vations to other mountains of Europe. M. 
Girard commenced the reading of a memoir 
relative to the supply of water in Paris, and 
M. Brusant read a memoir on the chemical 
analyses for determining the composition of 
minerals.—April 7. A society for mining 
for pit coal and other mineral substances in 
the department of the Jura, solicited the 
advice of the Academy, who referred their 
memoir to the council of mines. M. G, St. 
Hilaire announced that some doubts which 
had arisen relative to the anatomical facts 
mentioned in the paper of MM. Martin 
and J. St. Hilaire, had been removed, by 
the inspection of a tortoise which had died 
at the Royal Menagerie on April6. M. 
Chevreul. read a memoir on the influence 
which two colours may have upon each 
other when seen simultaneously.—Annual 
Meeting of the four Academies. April 25. 
Great interest was excited at this meeting 
by a remarkable discourse by -M. Fourier 
on the progress of science at the present 
day—also by an abridged account of M. de 
Labord’s recent voyage in the Levant—and 
by a learned memoir of M. G. St. Hilaire, 
on the state of natural history among the 
Egyptians. The commission charged to 
examine the works sent in to contest the 
prize founded by Volney, reported by M. 
de Sacy that the prize was divided between 
M. Massias and M. Schleyermacher, li- 
brarian of Darmstadt. 
VARIETIES, SCIENTIFIC AND MISCELLANEOUS. 
Earihquake.—Between ten and eleven 
o'clock at night, on the 9th of March last, 
an earthquake was felt at Washington and 
other places in the United States, and which 
consisted of two distinct shocks, which 
lasted a little less, than thirty seconds—the 
first was very much stronger than the se- 
cond. The houses were so shaken, that 
many persons who were asleep jumped from 
their beds, and could with difficulty be re- 
covered from the fright they had sustained. 
Electric Eels.—It is not only the croco- 
dile and jaguar which in America lie in 
ambush for the horse, but even among fishes 
this animal has a dangerous enemy. The 
marshy waters of Béra and Rastio are filled 
with the electric eel, whose slimy yellow 
spotted body sends forth at will terrible 
shocks. These gymnoti are from fiye to 
six feet long, and sufficiently strong to kill 
the most robust animal when they bring 
their organs properly into action. At Uri- 
tuca they have been obliged to change the 
direction of the road, because the number 
of these eels had so much increased in a 
little river, that annually a number of 
horses in passing the ford were.killed. All 
.animals of their own element fly from these 
-formidable creatures; even man is surprised 
when angling by the river side; and receives 
the fatal shock by means of the wetted line. 
The fishing for the gymnoti, presents a pic- 
turesque spectacle. The Indians inclosea — 
marshy spot, and then drive horses and 
mules into the water, until the noise excites 
these courageous fishes to the attack. They 
are seen swimming on the surface like 
snakes, and adroitly insinuating themselves 
under the belly of the horses, many of — 
which fall under the violence of these invi- — 
sible blows; while others, panting, with — 
streaming mane and haggard eyes, expres- 
sive of anguish, strive to evade the storm 
which threatens them, but the Indians, — 
armed with long bamboos, drive them back 
again into the middle of the water. The ‘ 
impetuosity of this unequal combat at Iength ~ 
diminishes ; the gymnoti fatigued, disperse 
like clouds deprived of the electric fluid, 
and require long repose and abundant nou- 
rishment to repair the loss of the galvanic 
force. Their strokes getting feebler and 
feebler, produce a less sensible effect, until 
frightened at length by the trampling of the 
horses, they timidly approach the banks, 
and are then struck with harpoons by the 
Indians, and subsequently pulled on the 
steppe with dry sticks, non-conductors of 
the fluid. 4 
Statistics —Commerce.—From an official 
